Month: September 2013

The UTEP Soccer Team picked up its first conference win of the 2013 season on Sunday afternoon defeating Southern Miss by a score of 1-0. Here are 5 things I noticed on during the 94 minutes of play.

1: The UTEP defensive line is not only solid defending, but is becoming more efficient in initiating the attack for the Miners. Both center defenders (Linger and Martyn) have become quick in getting the ball to the outside defenders (Bain and O'Hayre) so they can move the ball up the wings. They are sharing the work of running up and down the wings with the midfielders cutting down on the midfielders fatigue.

2: 1 on 1 UTEP is NOT afraid… of anyone. Its rare to find when a team has more than a few players that will go up against the opposition 1 on 1. The Miners have several players that will do so without any hesitation. German, Soto, Nicholson, Lindsay, Davis, Babcock and the list could go on. The confidence that this team has to do so and beat you at it, well it seems to be enless.

3: Midfielder Nicole Lindsay was about as solid as I have ever seen her. The freshman had the best minutes at home I've seen this season. She demonstrated glimpses as an creative/attacking midfielder that automatically puts this team on the right track for years to come. Lindsay asks for the ball and distributes it quickly. Sometimes a little to quick. Nothing against that, it just demonstrates her accelerated thought process on the field of play something that those around her will have to adjust to in the future.

4: UTEP Soccer has numerous variables/dimensions. Any player on the team can take over and finish a game. This has been proved several times this year, and the options keep on coming and/or developing. Hannah Asuchak playing right midfield for the first time this season on Sunday and doing more than adequate job is a perfect example of this.

5: Azia Nicholson does it again. Whether it is by silently leading this team or giving the team the victory with a gol in overtime, Nicholson is simply solid game after game. Nicholson played all of the minutes (once again) on Sunday and was consistent all 94 minutes.

The UTEP Soccer team failed to acquire their first conference victory of the 2013 season Friday night against Rice losing by a score of 2-1. The Miners allowed two gols in 5 minutes after defender Tayler O'Hayre scored from more than 30 yards out on a free kick to give UTEP the 1-0 lead in the 72nd minute.

UTEP failed to keep focus and order on the field of play in the critical period that followed O'Hayre's gol. This is something that must have upset head coach Kevin Cross and his staff.

"Critical periods" is something that this coaching staff preach to this squad constantly. They ask that the team be sound and fundamental in the beginning and ending minutes of the half and the few minutes that follow after the team scores a gol.

The lack of this execution is what led to UTEP losing on Friday night.

Today the Orange and Blue face Southern Miss (6-2-2) who is led by forward Danica Roberts who leads the nation with 11 gols so far this season. Kevin Cross calls this Southern Miss team "…the best Southern Miss team I have seen since I have been coaching in Conference USA."

For this game I am particularly interested in how Roberts will match up with the UTEP defensive line of O'Hayre, Martyn, Linger, and Bain.

I have always said that a special skill that this UTEP team has delveloped over the years is their ability to be "selectively aggressive". They are very smart as to when to tackle and disrupt the play of the opposing squad, something that is vital to having a successful soccer team.

The Miners have acquired this particular skill over the last 3 years.

This aggressiveness is found across all three sectors of the soccer pitch. Center defender, Kenah Linger said, "Defensively, we are kind of a hard nosed team all over the field. The back four for sure, but it starts up top too. We have Jade (Babcock) and Azia (Nicholson) who aren't afraid to tackle and that helps us out a lot."

Miner forward Jade Babcock definitely sets this attitude up top making it difficult for the opposing team to set up or initiate its attack. Babcock attributes this to being an "intense and passionate player".

This intensity, passion and selective aggressiveness will have to be present today against nation leading scorer Roberts.

It would not surprise if we see Roberts on the ground a couple time after her first touches of the ball. And if one of the Miners get a yellow card in the process, well lets just hope they make it count. This can disrupt Robert's rhythm rather easily and give the Miners confidence that they can keep her on lockdown.

Ultimately, after Friday's defeat, this team has to return to the keys that Azia Nicholson pointed out to me on Thursday night. Nicholson said, "We really just want to put everything together that we've been working on up to this point in the season. We feel that we got better each week and this is the true test for us, starting off conference. We really want to put two good halfs and solid performances together."

UTEP Soccer will look to stay perfect against Norther Arizona University. Kevin Cross and his squad will face the Lumberjacks tonight in Flagstaff at 7 pm local time. The Miners are 3-0 against NAU. They most recently defeated them in El Paso by a score of 1-0 in August of the 2010 campaign.

UTEP (5-2-1), has been more solid than their winning record indicates. The Miners are on the positive side in virtually all the statistical categories. More importantly this UTEP team is getting better with every game that they get under their belt.

Coach Cross and his staff have been very keen in pinpointing areas of improvement after every match and then working on improving them over the course of the week in preparation for their next match.

Two more road games against more than formidable opponents prior to the start of conference play will only do this team well regardless of the outcomes.

Shortly after 11:00 am local time Justino Compean, President of the Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF) named Victor Manuel Vucetich as the new head coach for the Mexican National Soccer Team. The press conference was held in the headquarters of the FMF in Mexico City.

Vucetich was the former head coach of Rayados de Monterrey.

Also addressed during the press conference was the announcement that Hector Gonzalez Inarritu will remain as director of operations for all national teams for the FMF (Men's, women's, Under 20, etc.).

General public consensus wanted both Compean and Inarritu out of the FMF altogether. Public opinion for the grand majority of Mexico supporters is that ultimately Compean and Inarritu are to blame for the current crisis that the Mexican soccer is going through and putting the team in serious danger of being left out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup next summer in Brazil.

In a statement released by the Mexican Soccer Federation at 2:48am Mexico City time, 1:48am local time, the President of the Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF), Justino Compean, decided to make a change in the head coaching position of Mexico's National Soccer Team. Jose Manuel "El Chepo" de la Torre is out as the head coach of the Mexican National Soccer Team. Luis Fernando Tena (first assisant under De la Torre) will assume the position of "El Tri's" interim head coach, along with the rest of the coaching staff that was selected by "El Chepo" when he started his tenure.

This staff will now lead Mexico's hope to make the World Cup in Brazil 2014 for the foreseeable future until the main power that commands Mexican soccer (Televisa, as in the media mogul entity owned by Emilio Azcarraga Jean. Google him, he's facinating and HIGHLY UNDERRATED) figures out what the hell to do.

More to come in what will most likely be one of the biggest "novelas" to come out of Mexico in the last decade over the course of the next few days. This is something Televisa would know about considering they produced the best ones I've ever seen in my lifetime and I'm 33.

In a statement released by the Mexican Soccer Federation at 2:48am Mexico City time, 1:48am local time, the President of the Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF), Justino Compean, decided to make a change in the head coaching position of Mexico's National Soccer Team. Jose Manuel "El Chepo" de la Torre is out as the head coach of the Mexican National Soccer Team. Luis Fernando Tena (first assisant under De la Torre) will assume the position of "El Tri's" interim head coach, along with the rest of the coaching staff that was selected by "El Chepo" when he started his tenure.

This staff will now lead Mexico's hope to make the World Cup in Brazil 2014 for the foreseeable future until the main power that commands Mexican soccer (Televisa, as in the media mogul entity owned by Emilio Azcarraga Jean. Google him, he's facinating and HIGHLY UNDERRATED) figures out what the hell to do.

More to come in what will most likely be one of the biggest "novelas" to come out of Mexico in the last decade over the course of the next few days. This is something Televisa would know about considering they produced the best ones I've ever seen in my lifetime and I'm 33.

Bristol, CT.- The ESPN networks will show 39 matches during the upcoming FIFA international match dates – Friday, Sept. 6, through Tuesday, Sept. 10. All matches, except one, are qualifying contests for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

In addition, ESPN3, the live multi-screen sports network available in 85 million homes, will present ESPN’s first soccer whiparound program “FIFA World Cup Whiparound – Quest to Qualify” from 2-5 p.m. ET on each of the two September 2013 FIFA match dates. The three-hour program will take fans through several live look-ins to on-the-field action, and offer highlights of key moments in the games (goals, controversial referee decisions, et al) from the topline FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Europe. Adrian Healey and Taylor Twellman will host on Friday. Healey returns with an analyst (TBD) show on Tuesday. ESPN3’s “FIFA World Cup Whiparound – Quest to Qualify” will originate live from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill in Kissimmee, Fla.

The much anticipated rivalry match between USA and Mexico on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. will conclude ESPN’s coverage of the September 2013 FIFA match dates (A release with full details of ESPN at USA vs. Mexico will be issued later today).

Even though the UTEP Miners tied to Abilene Christian on Sunday afternoon by a score of 1-1 there was still several positives that could be taken from this game. UTEP dominated the game in all aspects statistically and thoroughly handled the opposing side.

Defensively, the Miners were sound. Kenah Linger was once again was the solid anchor for the team. However, the player that stood out to me for the 110-minute marathon that took place at University Field was outside defender Tayler O'Hayre.

O'Hayre played every minute of Sunday's game and saw action on both the right and left extreme sides of the defensive line. She was switching sides at the instruction of head coach, Kevin Cross throughout the game. O'Hayre took care of her area on the pitch with relative ease and did not complicate a single possession when she had the ball at her feet.

Her decision making on when to clear the ball or pass it out to her midfielders to begin an attack for UTEP was spot on for the duration of the game.

Talking with O'Hayre after the game she was aware of what this Miner team failed to do on Sunday afternoon in order to obtain the victory. The UTEP defender was critical of herself and the team stating, "We definitely didn't play our best soccer. We were slow to attack , we were letting them come at us instead of us high pressuring them."

O'Hayre immediately went on to state that she and her teammates were aware of this and the things that need to be done in order to avoid another performance in which you see these negative characteristics.

Expect an intense week of practice for this UTEP squad. It's safe to say that Kevin Cross and his staff have all of their notes highlighted and know what fine points need to be worked on this week in order for the local side to once again start scoring gols.

UTEP Soccer will play two more home games this coming weekend. The 14th Annual Border Shootout will take place at University Field. Friday at 7:00pm UTEP will face UC Riverside and on Sunday at noon the Miners will take on Stephen F. Austin.